8th day. Back to Taipei

We took the train from Tainan to Taipei. But this was no ordinary train. It was the 高鐵 (high speed rail) that promised to get us back in 2 hrs, rather than 4 hrs. So in the early morning we took the cab to the station, and then proceeded to Mos Burger for our lunch. The menu was decidedly different but it was fabulous nevertheless! Then we went to Seven-Eleven to get our origini (or Japanese rice filling wrapped under seaweed).

Apparently, on the train SL LLG challenged me to open the origini without breaking apart. He FAILED big time, big shit! I was laughing my head off and he asked me to show him instead. I must admit that it was my first attempt but as you all know, good habits are cultivated since young, and so I have this instinct of opening things in a wholesome manner. With that triumphant air to his wide-eyed incredulity he exhibited when I finally did it, SL LLG was certainly very miffed.

Reaching Taipei, we welcomed the familiarity, though that meant the faster pace of life had returned. We arrived in the hotel, this time pleased with the new room for it had a window!! At the service counter was these 2 girls who over-bought, and one girl was bossing the other girl to "Take out that $100 Sing dor-lah nOW!! We need it for excess baggage!" A scan of her things showed they bought a semi-giant winnie da pooh soft-toy (duhhhh you mean we dun have this in ToyR Us Singapore??), multiple boxes of (I assumed 土產 which is really fine BUT BOXES AND BOXES as if a famine is about to hit Singapore) and bags og dunno what. Anyway that's her problem.

So we went to 孫中山 memorial hall and were quite delighted to find ourselves in the next schedule for the change of parade guarding Mr 孫 statue. As I was taking down the video of the whole thing, this guy (I shan't say he's from PRC) was most inconsiderate. He was trying to stay a few steps ahead of the incoming guard and getting his friend to take pictures of him. This earned the ire of the in-charge who had to repeatedly tell him to stand back. My video cam was blocked a couple of times by this zealot! But SL LLG who saw the screen of camera said the photos weren't well taken anyway despite hs efforts.

We landed ourselves next to the shopping centre beside the famed Taipei 101, but we did not go up as it was too expensive. Still we got to the mall nearby and had a sumptuous lunch. If you don't believe, you see:



Then we proceeded to get our facial wash, though SL LLG couldn't find his favourite Japanese imported milku milku. Feeling very sleepy, we contemplated of returning to the hotel, but decided that we should just go straight to 淡水.

This we did and we stopped over at Fort San Domingo, ex-British consulate and Aletheia University which included a small Oxford college, and founded by the Canadian George Leslie Mackay. Apparently, the night view made the red-bricked buildings very spooky ...



...and we were taking some "scare pictures"

Then we decided to go to 漁人碼頭 (fisherman's wharf). We met an old couple along the way and asked them for the general direction. The old lady was kind enough to tell us that we should not be walking but rather take a cab or at least a bus. This fell on deaf ears as we were soon to find and we must have walked for another hour before reaching! But the journey was fraught with life's most unearthly temptations. No I am not taking about the spider spirits of 西游記 which tried to seduce the most innocent 唐僧, but the object of our temptation was no less powerful - 檳榔 (betel nut)! Stopping by a shop that had a sign screaming 檳榔, our curiousity killed the three-legged cat and nine-tailed fox. The owner was most amused when we popped the ever interesting question as a virgin would for the first time - 請問怎樣吃??
Well, just chew it as if you would to a chewing gum! This we did but without gleefully taking some pictures of popping it into our mouths.

But we regretted it shortly after. Our heart palpitated and we knew that would be the last time. Pity, there were still many of them in a packet (which incidentally showed a scantily cladded women on both sides), and we were thinking of giving them to a friend who we hated! Evil..

Finally reaching 漁人碼頭...




....where a beautiful bridge even attracted a couple to take wedding shots there, we went straight to have our hot steaming 阿給, which is essentially 東粉 wrapped in beancurd skin and served with peanut gravy. I tell you.. it was so windy that we ate like refugees. Realising that the cold wind had caused many stalls to remain closed, we had fried shishamo in the next stop before deciding that enough is enough. We took a bus back to 淡水. As we passed by 永福豆漿, we decided that we should try ti to see if it lives up to its name. Verdict, pretty decent.

Then we stumbled upon a live performance by 卓文萱 near the MRT.



So we stayed for a while watching the performance - 愛的城堡 and other songs she belted before returning back to 西門 and our hotel.